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inspecting officials live more than 25 miles away, and who can only
pay flying visits at considerable intervals for this purpose.
There are other reasons why the same medical and nursing staff
which administers the Maternity and Child Welfare work should
also take charge of the supervision of Midwives. Such an arrangement
would bring the Midwives into closer co-operation with the
work of the Centres and induce them to send expectant mothers to
the Centre. The notification of artificial feeding by the Midwife
to the Supervising Authority is at present of little practical use
unless the Authority acts also under the Maternity and Child Welfare
Act. When one considers the large number of infant deaths
which occur during the first week or ten days of life and before the
midwife has ceased to attend, it emphasises the need for closer
co-operation between the Health Visitor and the Midwife in their
preventive work, both ante natal and post-natal, if the high mortality
at this early age is to be reduced. Such co-operation can be more
easily arranged if these officials are under one Supervising Authority.
It would also lead to economy and prevent overlapping of duties
if the Midwifery and Welfare Home Visiting were done by one
person.